© 2026 WEKU
NPR for Central and Eastern Kentucky
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
WEKU's Fall Pledge Drive is underway! Support WEKU and get the brand-new WEKU Travel Mug. Donate today! Click here to support WEKU. Thanks!

Layoffs Push Jobless Rate To 8.1 Percent

LINDA WERTHEIMER, host:

NPRs business news starts with unemployment topping 8 percent.

The nations unemployment rate is now 8.1 percent. Thats the highest since 1983. In its latest monthly report, the Labor Department said employers cut about 650,000 jobs in February. The steady stream of job losses has turned into a deluge of nearly 4.5 million jobs lost since the recession began in December 2007. More than half were lost in the last four months.

STEVE INSKEEP, host:

So well be watching to see how U.S. markets respond to those numbers. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

WEKU depends on support from those who view and listen to our content. There's no paywall here. Please support WEKU with your donation.
Related Content